The temperatures are dropping, and this changing weather means that pest like mice, roaches, and others might soon be heading inside your property in search of water ad food. This means that you will also have to take a proactive approach to managing these pests and preventing them from taking over. To understand how to prevent them, you should know why they come inside your property to start with.
Why Pests Come Inside
As a general rule, pests are attracted to indoor areas because they offer things that outside locations don’t offer during the winter months.
- Safety – Outside pests are subject to be the target of predators. Rats and mice are eaten by larger birds and animals. This means that if they move inside to a human environment, they are much more protected from predators.
- Shelter – It gets cold during the winter making survival difficult. If these little pests move inside where it is warm and away from the elements, they can be safe and cozy from the frigid temps outside.
- Food – Any food you leave out in the open can attract pests. This includes crumbs, food in unsealed packages, spills, dirty trash containment areas, trash chutes and compactors that need cleaned, and more. These dirty areas attract both large and small pests.
- Water – Leaks in your faucets and pipes will attract mice and insects. Trash holding areas with damp spots inside are the perfect breeding area for unwanted insects and other pests.
Proactive Pest Management
When winter rolls around, and even during other times of the year, it is important to take proactive measures to keep pests from entering your residential properties. Proactive pest control is doing certain things to make your buildings less attractive to these pests. These preventative measures will significantly reduce the likelihood that pests will make themselves home inside your home. Keep in mind that it is always easier to prevent unwanted creatures out of your properties in the first place than it is to eradicate them once they settle in.
Benefits of Being Proactive
The obvious reason for proactive pest management is keeping the pests out of your home and other properties, but there are other benefits to being proactive with these little pests too:
- Avoid Health Risks – Rodents and insects often carry diseases that can be transferred to humans. These pests can get into your food and spread germs and disease quickly.
- Avoid Property Damage – Pests are destructive. Rodents can chew through wiring inside the walls resulting in fire hazards, not to mention other damage from chewing. These repairs can be costly and difficult to fix.
- Peace of Mind – Being proactive gives you peace of mind knowing that you don’t have any extra creepy crawlies running around inside your facilities that you didn’t invite there.
Tips for Proactive Pest Management
It’s that time of year when pests are looking for warm shelter, safety, food, and water so they enter your residential facilities to get these things. The easiest way to keep this from happening is to make your facility less attractive to them by taking these precautionary measures:
- Store Food Securely – Be sure that leftovers are stored in airtight containers and placed in the refrigerator. Avoid keeping vegetables and fruit out on the counter.
- Remove Standing Water – If you have standing water in the basement or other areas of your property, figure out ways to keep that from happening. At the least, clean up these damp areas when they occur.
- Secure Trash Holding Areas – Garbage bins, dumpsters, and other trash holding areas attract a lot of pests. Discourage rodents by making sure your trash holding areas are clean and have secured lids.
- Repair Entry Points – Pest proof your property by sealing openings and cracks that pests can use to get inside. Repair holes in window screens, and make sure doors and windows close completely.
- Clean Your Trash Chutes, Compactors, and Other Dirty Areas – If you are managing a property that has these trash handling areas, routine cleaning of these areas can help make your property less attractive to all kinds of pests including mice, rats, and roaches.
Proactive pest management is something that should be considered year-round, so don’t make the mistake of thinking that just because the temperatures are dropping the number of pests is dropping too. The reality is, they are moving inside where they are harder to see. Professionals are equipped with the skills and equipment needed to proactively maintain your property year around, so contact us today to see if you qualify for a free cleaning demonstration.
